NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (12/22)
Hockey season is in full swing. There are a few intriguing matchups today, so let's look at the best games to target.
Sunday's NHL Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Los Angeles Kings (+120) at Washington Capitals (-142) | O/U 5.5 (-110/-110)
The Kings are coming off an underwhelming game against an inferior Nashville team. They were outshot, lost the face-off matchup and were lucky to come away with a point after tying the game with two late goals to send it to overtime.
This is still an excellent roster. They lead the league in goals allowed and their physical defense makes it tough for their opponent to get into the Kings’ defensive zone. That’s why they are allowing the second-fewest shots on goal. The offense knows how to create opportunities and consistently gets good looks, which is why they lead with a 56.3% expected goal percentage at even strength.
Now, they go from facing one of the worst offenses to the best. They do this with the second-best offense (3.78 goals per game) and are third in overall expected goal percentage (54.9%). All this is with Alex Ovechkin on injured reserve (IR). He's been able to practice and could return after the holiday break.
Even coming off a back-to-back, the Kings are one of a few teams that have an answer for Washington’s speed, which could make it difficult for them to get offensive opportunities.
Pick: Kings Moneyline (+120)
Florida Panthers (-112) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-108) | O/U 6.0 (-120/+100)
When these two teams meet up, it's always an exciting game. It's especially great when both teams are contenders.
Tampa Bay has sometimes been streaky, but if they continue to play like they are, they can return to being a championship contender. They have won six of their last seven, and the offense has been putting up a lot of goals, which has moved them to first in scoring.
They also have one of the best goalies in Andrei Vasilevskiy. He’s been fantastic in December, with a 2.22 GAA and a .930 save percentage in six appearances.
The champs are another great offense, as they are ninth in expected goal percentage. They are 9-2-1 in their last 12 and have scored five or more goals in six of those games. Their forwards have been looking great, with Sam Reinhart scoring 43 points. We’re also now seeing Matthew Tkachuk getting things together. He has 12 points in his last 10 games to move up to second on the team in scoring with 32 points.
This has the makings of a high-scoring game. We should see this game sail the over.
Pick: Over 6.0 Goals (-120)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Sunday: